An ORGANIZATION of religious schools has called on the government to expand state assistance to students and teachers in privately owned educational institutions and help address the problem of classroom overcrowding.
In a statement, Association of Christian Schools, Colleges and Universities (ACSCU) president Dr. Betty Cernol-McCann reaffirmed the group’s commitment to the Government Assistance to Students and Teachers in Private Education (GASTPE), saying the program has empowered its member-institutions to provide accessible, quality education to students for the past 35 years.
“Through GASTPE, countless students, particularly those from underserved backgrounds, have been able to access the transformative power of a Christian education,” said Cernol-McCann, who is also president of the Siliman University in Dumaguete City.
“We are partners in progress. With its critical role in sustaining private Christian education in the Philippines, GASTPE aligns with our mission to serve with compassion and integrity,” Cernol-McCann added.
According to her, the GASTPE program, which currently covers junior high school and senior high school, seeks to provide financial assistance to students and teachers, improve access to quality education, and decongest public schools.
“In the last school year, member schools collectively served over 3,600 beneficiaries under the GASTPE-program,” Cernol-McCann recalled.
“This level of support is not only a testament to the program’s reach but also its impact. Many of our graduates, who were once GASTPE beneficiaries, have gone on to become leaders in their communities and industries. Their successes speak to the quality of education they received, and the opportunities made possible by GASTPE,” she explained.
GASTPE initiatives include Education Service Contracting (ESC), Teachers’ Salary Subsidy, Senior High School Voucher Program, and In-Service Training.
The ESC is deemed a cost-effective alternative to public school expansion, where decongestion is achieved through service contracts with private schools for the latter to accommodate overflow students from public schools and from communities with no public schools, the statement said.
“The [GASTPE] program has also provided significant support to our teachers and educational staff. Financial resources have facilitated training and development programs, ensuring that our educators can continually adapt to evolving educational needs,” Cernol-McCann said.
This assistance was most pronounced during the pandemic, when GASTPE funding helped schools transition to blended and distance learning models.
“This allowed us to continue providing a safe, high-quality education to our students during a time of crisis,” Cernol-McCann said.
She also said the ACSCU’s partnership with GASTPE has enhanced the educational journeys of thousands of students across the country, enhanced their educational journeys, and prepared them for meaningful futures.
ACSCU has 118 member-schools across the Philippines, which have served 12.45 million student-grantees since 1989.
“As we look to the future, ACSCU envisions an expanded GASTPE that reaches even more students, particularly in rural and underserved areas,” Cernol-McCann said.
“To realize this vision, we need the continued partnership of our government and a strengthened collaboration with private and public educational stakeholders. By working together, we can make GASTPE more responsive to the shifting educational landscape and ensure that the program continues to support not only students and teachers, but also the broader mission of Christian education in national development,” Cernol-McCann said.
